


The End is Just the Beginning

by JantoForever21



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: Episode: s04e17-e18 The End of Time, Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-16
Updated: 2010-04-16
Packaged: 2017-10-08 23:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JantoForever21/pseuds/JantoForever21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, in the endless void of your life , a candle will flicker, and will lead the way--and will bring you back into the light. Spoilers for DW End of Time Part 2 and TW Children of Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The End is Just the Beginning

His head was hurting and the figures around him had long since blurred. Hell, he'd been sitting there since God knew when, drinking away his sorrows.

Before leaving the solar system, Earth, Torchwood and Ianto Jones far behind him, Jack Harkness had tried to contemplate everything on his mind but it was no use. Nothing--or no one-- could help him now.

Karma; that's what (he) would've called it, and the captain himself was beginning to believe it. After all, what else could it be other than torture for his reckless deeds.

His mind was torn from his thoughts as a folded paper was shoved under his nose. The man from Boeshane, the immortal Captain, looked up, as much expecting to hear yet another set of anonymous bipedal footsteps destined to buy the lucky hominid a drink.

Ironically, the Captain looked up on a whim, almost noticing the bartender in his fit of surprised afterthought. The barman had looked at him briefly before turning slightly away and then back to the heavy work of clinking glasses and liquor-- looking at something, or someone-- before turning back around and handing him the little obtrusive slip of pressed and flattened tree pulp.

'It's from him,' the bartender stated, advancing an easy thumb in someone's direction.

The captain flickered his gaze forward, briefly confused. Only briefly confused that is, until he saw just who his bar hopping benefactor was; the unmistakable Time Lord, clad in his morning coat and brown pinstriped suit.

It was him; the Lord of Time that couldn't even bring his lover back.

'What could he possibly want?' Jack thought as he saw the doctor nod, 'A drink?'

Jack took one last swig of his drink and set it on the counter. The Captain raised his gaze once more--seeing the Time Lord nod yet again-- before reverting his attention to the folded paper held between his fingers.

Without further delay, he opened the paper. Although the Captain expected very little from the note in his current dreary mood, he opened it warily. Not much to his surprise, the note did not include the Doctor buying him a drink. In truth, it revealed a much more curious consideration.

Only five words. Five words that could mean so much, or nothing at all. Could it be?--no, Jack stopped himself. After all, it was probably just the Doctor trying to comfort him, for all that was written was:

You will never be alone

Before the captain could brood any longer, a hand rested on his shoulder. As he felt the familiar touch, Jack stiffened slightly before relaxing his shoulders once more.

If the captain were to turn his gaze and follow the hand upwards, he would surely not believe what he would see, for he knew what he would find there.

Sure enough, as the immortal, human survivor of so many, many wars looked up, he saw the features of the man he'd come to know as his lover; Ianto Jones.

As his lover leaned in to make the first promise of many, Jack made another; whispering those three words he couldn't return as his lover lay dying in his arms. And as his lover's lips touched his, he finally realized what the Doctor had done and mentally thanked him for eternity.


End file.
